Railway truck frame



Aprifi 1951 R. R. SCHUBERT 3 RAILWAY TRUCK FRAME Filed Nov. 26, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet E JJGlT Ll Lu llll INVENTOR Rudolf .R .Schub erz ATTORNEY R. R. SCHUBERT RAILWAY TRUCK FRAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26, 1946 NNN QQNH INVENTOQR .Rudolf 11?. Schubez WM 7;.

ATTORNEY 5 sheets-sheep s R. R. SCHUBERT RAILWAY TRUCK FRAME I INVENTQR J? udoif R. Schu bert w M hm v Filed Nov. 26; 1946 NNNJQNDN Aprifl 3, 195! R. R SCHUBERT RAILWAY TRUCK FRAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 26, 1946 l I I l l l l l M 0/37 M 14 L April 3, 1951 Filed Nov. 2a, 1946 R. R. SCHUBERT RAILWAY TRUCK FRAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR R udolf'li .Schub art a, mwmaevw- ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 3, 1951 RAILWAY TRUCK FRAME, Rudolf It. Schubert, Greensburg, Pa., assignor to Greensburg Machine Company,

Greensburg,

Pa a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 26, 1946, Serial No. 712,376 6 Claims. (Cl. 105-482) This invention relates to a railway-truck frame.

Primarily considered, this invention concerns itself with improvements in the frame of a railway-truck having its most clearly indicated utility in mines and industrial plants. Such truck in itself is adapted to incorporation either in a railway vehicle which is self-propelled or a vehicle which receives locomotion from another vehicle which serves as a locomotive. In general my invention follows the line of construction for a railway-truck disclosed in the application of Arthur L. Lee, Serial No. 539,947, while presenting improvements over that structure.

Briefly stated, a railway-truck assembly in which my invention is incorporated comprises the combination of a side frame and longitudinally spaced wheel-carrying axles, with a beam extended longitudinally of the frame and having swinging movement in a vertical plane with respect to said frame at a deflection point intermediate the axles, and yielding load-transmitting elements spaced longitudinally from said deflection point on both sides thereof and between the said beam and the said frame in stabilizing relation with the frame to transmit load to the frame at longitudinally spaced points. Brakes and brake-operating connections are carried by the said beam, which rides on the vehicle axles and can move vertically at either end thereof with vertical movement of the wheels and axles. If the vehicle is to be self-propelled, the transmission by which power is delivered to the wheels desirably is also carried by the beam, so that the transmission also adjusts itself automatically to vertical movement of the vehicle wheels.

My invention resides in improvements in a railway-truck constructed as above outlined by which the yielding load-transmitting elements which act between the wheels with their associated beam and the frame of the vehicle are so placed that they transmit loads axially of their structure, without tendency toward angular distortion in performance of their function; by which the said yielding load-transmitting means are housed and supported in a manner to increase their effectiveness and prolong their usefulness; and in which the organizationv of the vehicle is such that the wheels of the vehicle may, without alternation in the structural design of the vehicle, be placed either inside or outside the frame elements in conformity with the width of the vehicle or the gage of the track on which it is to run.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying. drawings:

Fig. I is a plan view of a railway-truck in accordance with my invention, organized for selfpropulsion. l

Fig. II is a side elevation of the railway-truck assembly shown in Fig. I.

Fig.'III is a view on a larger scale showing the main side frame of the assembly partially in vertical section and partially in side elevation.

Fig. IV is a bottom plan view of the side frame shown in Fig. In.

Fig. V is a side elevation of the swinging, or oscillating, beam of the railway-truck frame assembly, on the same scale as Figs. III and IV but showing the beam slightly broken away intermediate its length.

Fig. VI is an end elevation of the beam shown in Fig. V.

Fig. VII is a fragmentary side elevation of a side frame, parts being removed and parts being shown in section, taken on the broken line VII VII of Fig. I, and showing a side frame throughout the greater proportion of its length, together with the elements associated therewith.

Fig. VIII is a vertical sectional view through a pivot connection between side frame and beam, taken in the plane of the section line VIIIVIII of Fig. VII.

Fig. IX is a greatly enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the side frame, taken in a region midway of its length.

Fig. X is a vertical sectionalview taken in the plane of the section line XX of Fig. IX.

Fig. XI is a vertical sectional view through the brake-operating connection to the beam, taken in the plane of the section line XI-XI of Fig. VII.

Fig. XII is a detail plan view, showing the brakes and brake-operating connections of the railway-truck in which the frame structure of my invention is incorporated, illustrating the attachment of the brakes to the beam of the frame structure and illustrating the relation of the brake assembly to the frame and wheels of the truck.

Fig. XIII is a detail side elevation of the elements shown in plan in Fig. XII and illustrating the relation of a brake assembly to an oscillating beam and wheels of the truck.

Referring first to Figs. I and II of the drawings for the general arrangement of the railway truck in which the frame structure of my invention is incorporated, reference numerals l and 2 designate wheel-carrying axles equipped with track-engaging wheels 3-. End structures 4 and 5 providea platform for the operator of the vehicle (shown as equipped for self-propulsion), control means, space or support for mounting a motor, and support for coupling and buffing elements. Such end structures are rigidly secured to a pair of laterally spaced side frame elements 6, which form the primary rigid structure of the truck.

Referring now particularly to Figs. III to IX inclusive of the drawings, those figures show in detail the side frame and beam. elements which together form the frame structure of the truck and mounting means for the yielding load-transmitting elements associated with them.

Each of the side frames 6, as shown, inifigs. III and IV comprises two parallel plates Ba and 5b which are spaced laterally from each'other to leave a beam-receivingspacefli-betweenrthem. From their lower edges both plates of the side frame are cut away upwardlyztov providealigned windows 8 arranged to straddle journal boxes 9 (see Fig. VII), have aligned pivot hol'esr [IL-and have aligned windows II and I2 for the entry of brake-operating supports and connections tothe beam between the plates. At both. ends of the side. frame there is a tubular housing I3 for a coil spring with a seat and springpositioning. core H in the upper region of eachr-of. the: housings. Itwill be noted that each. of the tubular; spring housings. l3.is axially aligned, with the beam-receiving. space 1. between theplates'cf the: side frame and has in its lower region a slot [23acommunicating, withthe space. 1 between. the. walls of the. side. frame. Midway their'length both plates Strand 6b. ofthesideframeare. cutaway below flange lfitopro-videa window Hifor mount.- ing a transmission hanger on the oscillating beam. A second window Hisprovided to accommodate a brake-operating bar. It will be noted that Fig. III is in measure incomplete; inasmuch as it omits the welded flange shown in Figs. VII, VIII and IX- The oscillating beam I8, shown individually in Figs. V and VI. of the drawings, consists primarily of' a single plate adapted. for reception-between the plates Baand 6b of theside frame: Extended, upwardly fro-mits, lower edge arewindows l9 arranged-in assembly to embraceand slidingly engage journal boxes 9 and to receive. load from and transmit it tothe axles I. and 2. Midway ofits length. the beam-has abut-out. window 20 arranged to embrace and slidingly engage a pivot block 21 (see Figs. VII to X inclusive), and. is provided with holes. 22- for the attachment of brake hangers. At. its ends the plate carries spring platforms 23. having; thereon; upstanding springpositioning cores 24.. Platforms 23' are joined to the body of beam. l8 by means of a. narrowneck portion. 23a. to permit the platforms and springpositioning cores. 24 to enter spring housings. [3 by way of slots l3a.

In assembly beam [8 lies in the space 'l'between the plates-of side frame 6 with pivot block 2| slidingly engaged in. its cut-out window 20. In pivot block 2| there is a pintle 25, which is fixed to side. frame. 6 and. about which-the pivotblock and beam may turn. At each end of the beam a spring platformandspring-positioning core lies in'the lower region of one of the spring housings l3 of the sideframe, so that the coilv spring 26 stands vertically between the two elements in po.- sition to be compressed by their relative movement. The. assembly load. thus is transmitted to the side framethrough yieldingelements, which are shown as the coil springszzfi, that, load bei initially assumed. by the beam l8: which rests directly on the. journal boxes. 9. The. points of 1oad-transmission provided at the 6911' fi are spaced substantially from the pivot point of the beam and that pivot carries no vertical load. Normally, turning movement of the beam in a vertical plane because of track inequalities and like causes is almost imperceptible, being yieldingly absorbed by the coil springs 26.

If there should be an abrupt vertical shock, such as might occur because of a depressed region of track, injury to the frame assembly is avoided by the provision for some relative vertical movement between beam l8 and side frame 6. It will beobserved that, to permit this latter movement, the vertical dimension of window 20 in the beam iszzsnflici'ent to provide spaces 20a and to permit theside frame 6, and pivot block 2| with it, to move vertically relatively to the beam. I

It .will-benoted that in this assembly, which is identical on both sides of the truck, the beam t8 is -in fixed relation with the axles and is centered laterally with respect to journal boxes 9. Thus if the track be self-propelled, the beam serves to transmit tractive effort to the side frame, through pivot block 2|; The double wall of. the side frame, with the oscillating beam in the space between the walls, give an accurate,v alignment between the vertical plane of, the beam and the axles of the coil springs. This structure accurately centers load-transmission. With respect' to: the. brake mountings and brake-operatin-g'. connections, both these'assemblies also are identical on both sides of the-truck; and are carriedion both sides by the beams: which maintain a fixed relation-to the axles-and wheels. As shown, the brakes are hand-operated, being actuated by means of. an operatingwheel 21, operating rod' 28 and a. cross bar 29 which latter.- lies in the windows llin both the side frames and above the oscillating beams. The brakes and their proximate elements comprise brake shoes 30 and 31, which are mounted on-hangers 32 and 33 respectively. These hangers are secured, on each side of the truck, tothe beam 18 by means of attach ment pins 34 which passthroughwindows H and. I-Z-in. one of the walls of the sidev frame and pivotally engage intheholes 22- of' the beam. As shown, both the wheelsof the truck and the brake system are mounted inside the-side frames, so that. pins 34. reachthe beam by way of the windows through the inner wall 6b of the side frame.

Brake. shoes 30. and 3.! are operatively' connectcd. with actuating bar 29, by means of: a brakeoperatinglever 35 which is pivoted at 36'to the actuating, bar 36m and which is pivoted. at 3'!v to hanger. 32 of brakeshoe- 30. Brake lever 35? also is pivotally-v engaged at 3B; withadrag link 39, which has-pivoted. engagement with hanger 33 of. brake shoe. 3.! at a pivot point 40.

The brake'shoesare thus carried directly by oscillating beam I8, and they and their operating connections are free of 'engagementtwith the side frame of the truck. These operating connections derive movement from bar 29, which lies free in windows H of the side frame, and operating rod 28 has universal joints 4| and 42', so that movementrof the brake systemwi'th the beam is not inhibited by the mounting of that rod'between the side frame elements of the truck. Because the brake system thus is movable with the wheels of the truck in fixed relation thereto, the brake shoes may he very close to the treads of the wheels, and movement of the brake shoes is mini-- mizecl;v

It;will..berobserved that the organization of the railwayetruck frame issuch as to produce centered alignment inload transmission to the-frame,

together with extended guiding structurefor the oscillating beam during its swinging movement in a vertical plane. The frame thus is relieved to a maximum of tortional stresses as are also the load-transmitting springs; and the frame assembly has great strength without substantial increase in weight or in structural complexity.

I claim as my invention:

1. A railway truck assembly having two parallel spaced longitudinally extended side frame elements, the structure at each side of the truck including a side frame element comprising two vertically and longitudinally extended walls laterally spaced to provide a housing space therebetween, wheel-carrying axles spaced longitudinally of the said side frame elements, a longitudinally and vertically extended beam housed between the walls of the side frame and having fixed longitudinal relation with the said axles, a vertically unloaded pivot block mounted for vertical sliding movement between the walls of the said side frame intermediate the said axles and a horizontal pivot pin passed through the said pivot block, one of said elements comprising the said block and pin being mounted with the walls of the side frame and the other thereof mounted with the said beam to provide relative vertical movement between said beam and said side frame and swinging movement of said beam, and yielding load-transmitting elements spaced longitudinally from the deflection point provided by said pivot pin on both sides thereof and vertically between the said beam and the said side frame. F

2. A railway truck assembly having two parallel spaced longitudinally extended side frame elements, the structure at each side of the truck including a side frame element comprising two vertically and longitudinally extended walls laterally spaced to provide a housing space therebetween, wheel-carrying axles spaced longitudinally of the said side frame elements, a longitudinally and vertically extended beam housed between the walls of the side frame and having fixed longitudinal relation with the said axles, a vertically unloaded pivot block mounted for vertical sliding movement between the walls of the said side frame intermediate the said axles and a horizontal pivot pin passed through said pivot block, one of the said elements comprising the said block and pin being mounted with the wall of the side frame and the other thereof mounted with the said beam to provide relative vertical movement between said beam and said side frame and swinging movement of said beam, yielding load-transmitting elements spaced longitudinally from the deflection point provided by said pivot pin on both sides thereof and vertically between the said beam and the said side frame, openings in a wall of the side frame and brakemounting structure extended through said openings and engaged with the beam, and a brake system supported from the beam by said brakemounting structure free of engagement with the side frame in fixed relation with said axles and wheels carried thereby.

3. A railway truck assembly having two parallel spaced longitudinally extended side frame elements the structure at each side of the truck including a side frame element comprising two vertically and longitudinally extended walls laterally spaced to provide a housing space therebetween, wheel-carrying axles spaced longitudinally of the said side frame elements, a longitudinally and vertically extended beam housed be tween the walls of the side frame and having fixed longitudinal relation with the saidaxles, a vertically unloaded pivot block between the walls of the said side frame intermediate the said axles and vertically slidable in said beam and a horizontal pivot pin mounted in said side frame and passed through the said pivot block, to provide relative vertical movement between said beam and said side frame and swinging movement of said beam, and yielding load transmitting elements spaced longitudinally from the deflection point provided by said pivot pin, on both sides thereof and vertically between the said beam and the said side frame.

4. A railway truck assembly having two parallel spaced longitudinally extended side frame elements, the structure at each side of the truck including a side frame element comprising two vertically and longitudinally extended walls laterally spaced to provide a housing space therebetween, wheel-carrying axles spaced longitudinally of the said side frame elements, a longitudinally and vertically extended beam housed between the Walls of the side frame and having fixed longitudinal relation with the said axles, a vertically unloaded pivot block between the walls of the said side frame intermediate the said axles and vertically slidable in said beam and a horizontal pivot pin mounted in said frame and passed through said pivot block, to provide relative vertical movement between said beam and said side frame and swinging movement 01' said beam, yielding load-transmitting elements spaced longitudinally from the deflection point r provided by said pivot pin on both sides thereof and vertically between the said beam and the said side frame, openings in a wall of the side frame and brake-mounting structure extended through said openings and engaged with the beam, and a brake system supported from the beam by said brake-mounting structure free of engagement with the side frame.

5. A railway truck assembly having two parallel spaced longitudinally extended side frame elements, the structure at each side of the truck including a side frame element comprising two vertically and longitudinally extended walls laterally spaced to provide a housing space therebetween, wheel-carrying axles spaced longitudinally of the said side frame elements, a longitudinally and vertically extended beam housed between the walls of the side frame and having fixed longitudinal relation with the said axles, a vertically unloaded pivot block mounted for vertical sliding movement between the walls of the said side frame intermediate the said axles and a horizontal pivot pin passed through the said pivot block, one of elements comprising the said block and pin being mounted with the walls of the side frame and the other thereof mounted with the said beam to provide relative vertical movement between said beam and said side frame and swinging movement of said beam, tubular housings fixed adjacent the ends of said side frame arranged symmetrically with respect to the walls thereof and in alignment with the said beam, extensions at the ends of the beam within the lower regions of the said tubular housings of the side frame and load-transmitting springs in said tubular housings and bearing against said extensions of said beam to transmit load yieldingly to said side frame adjacent the ends of the beam.

6. A railway truck assembly having two parallel spaced longitudinally extended side frame 1 mentsythe structure" at, eachside; of the truck including'a side framewelement comprising two vertically and" longitudinally extended .wallslaterally spaced toprovidea. housing space therebetween, wheel-carryingaxles spaced longitudinally of the said sideframe' elements, a longitudinally and vertically extended beamhoused between the walls of the side frame'and having fixed longitudinal relation with the said axles, a vertically unloaded pivot block between the walls of the said side frame intermediate the said axles and vertically slidable in said beam and a horizontal pivot pin mounted in said side frame and passed through the said pivot block, to provide relative vertical movement between said beam and said side frame and swinging movement of said beam, tubularv housings fixed adjacent the ends of said side frame arranged symmetrically with respect to the walls thereof and in alignment with the said beam, extensions at the ends of the beam within the lower regions of the said tubularhousings of the side frame and load-transmitting springs in said tubular housings and bearing against said extensions of said beam to transmit load yieldingly to said side frame adjacent the ends of the beam.

RUDOLF R. SCHUBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

